Many organizations make serious errors talking about the past — in the aftermath of an accident, say, or a near-miss, or an OSHA decision to impose a fine. Last month, I offered five recommendations for a post-event communication protocol, grounded in the lessons of risk communication. Here is Part 2, with five additional recommendations. Comments and suggested additions are welcome at peter@psandman.com.
“Making it right†after an accident means at least two things. First, it means doing as much as you reasonably can for those who were harmed. If there are people in the hospital, for example, offer to pay medical bills without requiring any sort of legal release as a precondition. If some cars in the parking lot got scorched by the fire, give the owners enough cash for a new paintjob.